May 20, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After breakout seasons that helped lead the Penn State women's lacrosse team to its third straight NCAA tournament appearance, senior defender Lauren Purvis (Maple Glen, Pa.) and sophomore midfielder Madison Cyr (Westminster, Md.) were tabbed Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association All-Americans.
The seventh and eighth IWLCA All-Americans during head coach Missy Doherty's four seasons at Penn State, both Purvis and Cyr earned All-America honors for the first time. A Maple Glen native, Purvis garnered second-team recognition, while Cyr achieved third-team status. The Nittany Lions boasted at least two All-Americans for the third straight season.
The ALC Defensive Player of the Year, Purvis helped anchor the Nittany Lion defense with a conference-leading 1.61 caused turnovers per game. The defensive stalwart, who became the Nittany Lions' fourth major award winner at the conference level, secured 29 caused turnovers, 27 ground balls and eight draw controls.
An All-ALC and IWLCA All-West First-Team selection, the defender earned at least three caused turnovers in five games this season, including a career-high five caused turnovers in a 21-8 Nittany Lion victory against Drexel March 26.
Madison Cyr |
A Westminster, Maryland, native, Cyr enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign as she paced the squad with a career-high 41 goals, while tying for the team lead in points (48). The All-ALC First Team member, who ranked fifth in the league in goals and ninth in points, placed second on the team in caused turnovers (21) and third in draw controls (33), while tying for fifth in ground balls (20).
One of three Nittany Lions with double-digit totals in caused turnovers, draw controls and ground balls, the IWLCA All-West First-Team honoree set numerous career highs thought the season. In addition to achieving personal bests with season highs in goals, points, caused turnovers and draw controls, the midfielder generated single-game highs in points (6), goals (5), ground balls (5) and caused turnovers (4).
In 2014, the Nittany Lions recorded their fifth straight 10-win campaign with a 10-8 record and advanced to the NCAA tournament in three straight seasons for the first time since 1995-97.